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Union
explained
Environment
A healthy and
sustainable
environment
for future
generations
Bus in es s as us ual is n o t an o p t io n
Contents
Why do we need
an environmental policy? . . . . . . . 3
http://europa.eu/pol/index_en.htm
E N V I R O N M E N T
iStockphoto.com/eva serrabassa
Evolving strategy
The major environmental challenges facing Europe have
evolved since the early days of European environmental
policymaking. In the 1970s and 1980s the focus was on
traditional environmental themes such as protecting
species and improving the quality of the air we breathe
or the water we drink by reducing emissions of
pollutants. Now, emphasis is on a more systematic
approach that takes account of links between various
themes and their global dimension. This means moving
from remediation to prevention of environmental
degradation.
It involves ensuring that other areas such as agriculture,
energy, transport, fisheries, regional development,
research, innovation and external aid take fully into
account the environmental consequences of their policy
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E u r o p e a n
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iStockphoto.com/Robert Churchill
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Public support
There is broad public support for EU measures to
improve the environment. A pan-European opinion
survey in mid-2011 revealed that over 90 % of
respondents consider the environment to be an
important personal concern. Almost 9 out of 10 support
EU funding for environmentally friendly activities and
over 8 out of 10 agree that EU legislation is necessary
to protect the environment in their country. The most
widely voiced environmental concerns were water
pollution, depletion of natural resources and the
increase in waste.
E N V I R O N M E N T
Democratic decision-making
The process of developing EU legislation is highly
democratic. Before tabling a proposal, the European
Commission carries out extensive consultations, giving
national authorities, non-governmental organisations,
environmental experts and the general public an
opportunity to express their views. This helps to ensure
that draft legislation is based on a broad spectrum of
input and a solid platform of scientifically verifiable
data. As well as clarifying the different issues involved,
this also develops a sense of ownership among key
stakeholders of the policy being proposed.
The draft legislation can be amended by national
governments through their ministers in the Council or in
response to suggestions from citizens at the European
Parliament, both of which must agree on the exact
wording of the text before it is formally adopted. Other
bodies such as the Committee of the Regions and the
European Economic and Social Committee make their
opinions known, as do businesses, NGOs, researchers
and individuals.
Sometimes consultations reveal that legislation is not
appropriate, and non legally binding guidelines and
exchanges of best practice are used instead.
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Implementation
Since the 1970s, the EU has agreed over 200 pieces of
legislation to protect the environment. But legislation
alone counts for little if it is not properly applied and
enforced. So, the challenge now is to implement
effectively what has been agreed. This is complex since
many different tasks are done by diverse groups
ranging from national inspectors and courts to NGOs
and citizens exercising their participatory rights.
Failure to implement legislation has many adverse
consequences. It can undermine fundamental
environmental objectives, harm human health and
present industry with regulatory uncertainty as agreed
standards are applied unevenly across the Union.
Meanwhile, proper implementation can bring financial
benefits. If EU waste legislation is fully applied it would
generate 400 000 jobs and reduce annual net costs by
EUR 72 billion.
Member States are responsible for implementing EU
environmental legislation. So the European Commission
can, through the European Court of Justice, take legal
action against a Member State which fails to implement
legislation correctly. These infringement cases increase
pressure to find solutions and can ultimately lead to
fines for repeated failure to implement EU rules.
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E N V I R O N M E N T
Encouraging eco-innovation
Eco-innovation is any form of innovation
aiming at, or resulting in, significant and
demonstrable progress towards the goal of
sustainable development, by reducing
impacts on the environment, enhancing
resilience to environmental pressures or
achieving a more efficient and responsible
use of natural resources.
These technologies and the industries
that produce them are already an
important part of the EU economy.
However, with the exception of renewable
energy, eco-innovation has penetrated
markets relatively slowly. Bottlenecks
include the failure of market prices to
accurately reflect environmental costs and
benefits, and incentives and subsidies that
sustain wasteful practices and rigid
economic structures.
Through EU programmes, support is
available to finance research, innovation
and eco-innovative companies. To
encourage greater take-up of green
technologies, the EU is promoting green
public procurement, costing products over
their life-cycle, and eco-labelling.
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J. Toland
Resource efficiency
Resources are necessary for the economy and
environment to function. But the days of plentiful
supplies of inexpensive raw materials a key factor in
the major economic progress made during the last two
centuries are over.
Population growth and rising living standards are
increasing the demand for and raising the price and
scarcity of natural resources like the metals, minerals
and foodstuffs we depend upon. By the end of the next
decade, an additional 2 billion people in emerging
economies may have middle-class incomes with
aspirations to achieve lifestyles comparable to those we
enjoy.
To address the challenges, the European Commission
has made resource efficiency one of its key policy
concerns. This means producing more value with less
input, using resources in a sustainable way and
European Union
E N V I R O N M E N T
Resource efficiency
Resource efficiency aims to decouple
economic growth from resource use. It
pushes the economy to create more with
less, delivering greater value with less
input, using resources in a sustainable way
and minimising their impact on the
environment.
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Biodiversity
One of the core aims of European environmental policy
is to protect the web of life that surrounds us. The
natural world faces many threats around the globe, and
biodiversity the term used to emphasise the richness
of the natural world with all its species and genetic
variety is in decline all over the planet. To counter
those threats, the EU is committed to halting and
reversing the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems
by 2020.
Biodiversity is important in its own right, but it also
provides a vital stream of goods such as food, fibre, fuel
and medicines, and it performs essential services like
climate regulation, flood prevention, water purification,
pollination and soil formation. All are necessary for
economic prosperity, security, health and quality of life.
The EU first adopted a biodiversity action plan in 2006.
Then, just months after the world agreed an ambitious
global agenda in Nagoya, Japan, it finalised an updated
strategy in early 2011. This has as a headline target to
halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of
ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, restoring them as
far as feasible, and to increase Europes contribution
towards averting biodiversity loss globally.
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Protected areas
Recognising that nature does not respect
national borders, the EU has strong nature
protection legislation. Starting with
measures to protect wild birds and
extending this to many threatened plants
and animals and their habitats, this has
culminated in the creation of Natura 2000,
a pan-European network of areas designed
to protect species and habitats in their
natural environment. Consisting of over
26 000 sites, the network is the largest in
the world. Now virtually complete, it covers
almost 18 % of EU territory an area
equivalent in size to the Czech Republic,
Germany and Poland combined.
Natura 2000 recognises that humans are
an integral part of nature and that the two
work best in partnership with one another.
Its aim is not to exclude economic
activities, but rather to place certain limits
on them so as to safeguard valuable
species and habitats. Its financing is
integrated into key EU policy sectors.
Agriculture, particularly its rural
development strand with agri-environment
and forest measures, is the most important
of these. The EUs cohesion policy (which
encourages economic growth in EU
Member States and regions) plays a major
role in funding investments, especially in
the new Member States.
The Natura 2000 programme nurtures
healthy ecosystems which provide valuable
services such as fresh water, carbon
storage and protection against floods and
coastal erosion. Collectively, these services
are estimated to be worth EUR 200 to
EUR300 billion a year significantly
more than the annual cost of some
EUR6billion to manage the network.
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E N V I R O N M E N T
Awareness raising
The European Commission promotes awareness of
the environment in many ways. An annual highlight is
Green Week in Brussels when thousands of participants
debate a key environmental issue, such as biodiversity
or water.
Competitions are another popular stimulus. The EUs
Green Capital Award showcases the environmental care
and imagination that cities across Europe are
displaying.
Other awards recognise the contributions which
businesses, public authorities and individual projects
make to the environment.
Green Capitals
To achieve the title of Green Capital, a city
has to have a consistent record of
achieving high environmental standards, be
committed to further sustainable
development goals and serve as a role
model for others. Winners:
2010: Stockholm
2011: Hamburg
2012: Vitoria-Gasteiz
2013: Nantes
2014: Copenhagen
http://www.europeangreencapital.eu
iStockphoto.com/Steve Debenport
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EU Ecolabel
The EU Ecolabel identifies products and
services with a reduced environmental
impact throughout their life-cycle, from the
extraction of raw material through to
production, use and disposal. Recognised
throughout Europe, the voluntary label
promotes environmental excellence based
on criteria developed by scientists, NGOs
and stakeholders. Over 1 300 companies,
making over 18 000 products, have joined.
Customers can rely on the logo since every
product is checked by independent experts.
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E N V I R O N M E N T
Bathing water
The annual European bathing water quality
report provides the most up-to-date picture
of the state of health of over 22 000
swimming sites at the seaside and
inland rivers and lakes in EU Member
States as well as some neighbouring
countries.
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International cooperation
The Union plays a highly committed role in international
environmental negotiations, whether these be to protect
biodiversity, promote sustainable development or tackle
climate change.
The thrust of the EU approach is to emphasise the
importance of the sustainable management of
resources and natural capital, particularly in developing
countries since these are crucial in tackling poverty.
These same countries are the first to be affected by
environmental degradation since floods, droughts and
other natural disasters undermine efforts for their
economic and social development.
The EU played a key role at the 2010 biodiversity
summit in Nagoya. This led to an agreement on an
ambitious global strategy to combat biodiversity loss
and a package of measures to ensure that the planets
ecosystems continue to sustain future human wellbeing. In Brazil in 2012, the Rio+20 conference on
sustainable development underlined the need for more
concerted action to address global environmental
challenges. The EU will strive to help translate the Rio
commitments into actions, both within the EU and
globally.
E N V I R O N M E N T
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R. Scholtz
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Further reading
XX For an overview of EU environmental policy: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/index_en.htm
XX For information on the European Environment Agency: http://www.eea.europa.eu
XX For specific information on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemical
substances (REACH): http://echa.europa.eu
XX Questions about the European Union? Europe Direct can help: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11
http://europedirect.europa.eu
ISBN 978-92-79-23948-9
doi:10.2775/51135
NA-70-12-017-EN-C
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